As States Reopen, Uncertainty About Workers Who Refuse to Return

The reopening of four states last week — and 14 more this week — will undoubtedly add to the growing amount of claims litigation arising out of the COVID-19 epidemic, attorneys across the country said. The key question for some injured workers in those states is whether they risk losing benefits if they refuse to return to work because of fears that they'll be exposed to the new coronavirus. The question is still up in the air, attorneys said. There seems to be little case law, and most statutes don't speak directly to returning to work during a pandemic. “What we ...